SALINE AND ALKALI LANDS. 



541 



while the salsoda varies from 2,200 to 12,000. We may con- 

 sider the plant as indicative of almost the highest percentage of 

 common salt, Glauber's salt and total salts. Like the preceding 

 species it indicates land strongly charged with salts, more 

 especially common salt, and susceptible to cultivation only 

 after reclamation by under-drainage. 



Salicornia subterminalis, S. hcrbacea (L.), 5\ nincronata, 

 and another species, all occurring inland, differ materially in 

 habit and botanical characters from the one so conspicuous in 

 submerged salt marshes along the seashore ; but all alike indi- 

 cate strongly saline soils, reclaimable only by thorough drain- 

 age. 



SALTWORT (Suaeda torreyana, Wats., S. suffrutcscens, 

 Wats., and perhaps one other species) ; Fig. 85. 



Samples of saltwort soil from Bakersfielcl and Byron 

 Springs, California, taken to a depth of one foot and three 

 feet respectively, show that this plant grows luxuriantly in a 

 soil containing 130,000 pounds of total salts per acre in the 

 first foot, and with 10,480 pounds of the noxious salsoda, and 

 39,760 pounds of common salt in three feet; while only a 

 sparse growth is found on soils containing only 3,700 pounds 

 of salts in three feet. It thus appears to indicate a lower 

 percentage of salsoda than does Greasewood, but a higher 

 percentage than Bushy Samphire. Further investigation is 

 necessary to determine the exact relation of the different salts 

 to the growth of the plant, and as to whether carbonates occur 

 in large quantity ; but enough data have been gathered to show 

 that a luxuriant growth of Suaeda torreyana indicates a soil 

 reclaimable only by thorough-drainage. 



Suaeda torreyana occurs on low alkali lands throughout 

 the State of California, from San Bernardino to Honey Lake, 

 in the desert sinks, and in the Great Valley, in appropriate 

 locations. Sometimes it is replaced by 6". suffrutescens and 

 perhaps other species, but all the saltworts appear to grow in 

 similar habitats, and it is probable that the soil-conditions are 

 practically the same for all these species. They indicate land 

 too heavily impregnated for the growth of ordinary crops, 

 but which will perhaps allow the Australian saltbush to suc- 

 ceed. 



